From 80% Manual Orders to 85% Online in Just One Year

Birlea Wins Small Business of the Year at the 2025 B2B eCommerce Awards

Digital transformation isn’t just for enterprises. For Birlea Furniture, a family-run furniture wholesaler in the UK, going digital wasn’t about following trends, it was about building a better, more scalable way to serve their B2B customers.

With less than $50M in annual revenue, Birlea leveraged its SANA-powered platform to modernize every part of its order lifecycle. The impact? A complete reversal in order behavior: from 80% manual to 85% online. All in just over a year.

This shift didn’t just streamline operations, it redefined how small businesses can lead in B2B digital commerce.

One Platform, One Experience

Before digital transformation, Birlea’s customer interactions were fragmented, spread across phone calls, emails, spreadsheets, and disconnected processes. Today, every buyer has access to a centralized self-service portal, where they can:

• Browse the entire product catalog
• Check real-time stock levels
• View account-specific pricing
• Place and track orders 24/7
• Access invoices, payment history, and credit limits
  

What was once high-touch and manual is now frictionless, fast, and scalable.

Features That Go Beyond the Basics

The platform doesn’t just handle transactions, it empowers smarter purchasing and stronger customer relationships.

Key capabilities include:

• ERP-integrated real-time pricing and stock availability
• Pre-order functionality for upcoming or seasonal products
• Detailed product specifications for confident decision-making
• Invoice and credit management, including pro forma and on-account options
• Courier integration with dynamic shipping quotes based on weight, size, and destination
• Custom storefronts with account-specific banners, discounts, and curated product ranges
• Intelligent recommendations based on historical orders and seasonal buying patterns
  

These features bring a level of personalization typically reserved for much larger operations.

Customer Education + Adoption = Results

Birlea didn’t just launch a platform, they invested in ongoing customer enablement. Education, feedback loops, and iterative improvements were key to driving adoption.

• In just over a year, online ordering grew from 20% to 85% of total order volume
• 100+ hours per week saved across admin, order entry, and support
• Significant reductions in manual errors
• Platform now serves as the operational backbone for future growth
  

Setting a New Standard in B2B for Small Business

Winning Small Business of the Year at the 2025 B2B eCommerce Awards isn’t just recognition of the technology, it’s a validation of Birlea’s bold, strategic move to turn digital commerce into a growth engine.

Birlea is proving that digital excellence isn’t about headcount or budget. It’s about vision, execution, and relentless customer focus.

Learn more about the B2B eCommerce Awards: https://www.b2becommerceawards.com/